America Solidaria U.S. seeks Fellows who are interested in implementing effective projects that help alleviate inequality and poverty in Latin America. These projects are primarily focused on health, education, and economic development to benefit children and youth.

America Solidaria Fellowship Program
September 2015-2016

Latin America is considered the most unequal region in the world today according to the Gini index. In an attempt to overcome these statistics, America Solidaria Fellows partner with local organizations to address the needs of communities throughout the continent. These partnerships improve the everyday lives of the people they serve by undertaking projects that aim to reduce the high levels of inequality and poverty throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
The alliance between America Solidaria and local organizations ensures that Fellows are placed in established projects that specifically target poverty and inequality reduction.

América Solidaria is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization founded and headquartered in Santiago- Chile. With offices in Bogota, Colombia; Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Lima, Peru; and Washington DC, US, our mission is to build networks of cooperation throughout the Americas. Our Fellows strengthen local projects by increasing the impact and ability of disadvantaged communities, helping them become empowered and raise their standard of living.

About the America Solidaria Fellowship Program

America Solidaria seeks Fellows who are interested in implementing effective projects that help alleviate inequality and poverty. These projects are primarily focused on health, education, and economic development to benefit children and youth.

Since 2002, 475 professionals from ten different countries within the Americas have contributed to an assortment of projects in collaboration with host organizations. Fellows engage in cross-cultural dialogue and cultivate technical skills including grassroots organizing, community engagement, and leadership development.

Fellow’s education levels, careers, work experiences, skills sets, and countries of origin are as diverse as the projects they are involved in. For that reason, we work to effectively match prospective Fellows with host organizations in order to both maximize their skills and interests and serve the needs and interests of our partner organizations.
Fellows foster existing community partnerships directly through their work, but also by engaging in community activities, participating in local customs, and forming relationships with residents.

The Fellowship is a service-year program and includes an out-of-country orientation that provides cross-cultural, technical, health, and safety skills training. During the twelve months of in-country service, Fellows live with other fellows from participating countries in the communities they serve, ranging from small rural villages to large urban centers.

After completing their term of service, Fellows return to their country of origin as global citizens with leadership skills, cross-cultural understanding, and technical capacity that positions them well for further professional opportunities.

Where are the projects located?
Fellowships provide support to local organizations in the following countries:
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay and the United States.
Please note that Fellows are required to serve outside of their country of origin.

What is the eligibility criteria?
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Applicants must be 35 years or younger
Applicants must possess a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
Applicants must possess professional experience in the NGO/nonprofit/social or public sector
Applicants must demonstrate Spanish language ability*
Applicants must demonstrate leadership and collaborative skills
*Knowledge of French/Creole would be an asset for Haiti, in addition to Spanish proficiency.

What are the program benefits?
Travel to and from country of service
Visa Expenses
Placement at a “Host Organization”
Housing and monthly living stipend (this is adequate to support a modest lifestyle for one person based on the local cost of living)
Health Insurance
Alumni Americas Network
Out-of-country two week orientation that provides cross-cultural, technical, health, and safety skills training.

Fellowship Terms and Conditions
Fellows are expected to participate full-time during the service-year fellowship
Fellows may not incur any outside obligations which might interfere with attending the orientation and other program activities
Fellows may not perform political or religious advocacy during the course of their fellowship
Fellows may not receive pay for serving in participating organizations during the course of their fellowship
Fellows may not hold any paid position that will interfere with their full participation in the fellowship program
Fellows are expected to conform to the same professional standards as paid staff members

Additional Note: If you’re married or engaged to be married, please keep in mind that América Solidaria will not sponsor visas for Fellow’s spouses or children. Also please consider that our housing and monthly living stipend is adequate to support a modest lifestyle for ONE person based on the local cost of living.

Application cycle dates
Twice a year (March and October), America Solidaria seeks a new cohort of talented individuals. Those who are selected during the March cohort will begin their year of service in September, and those who are selected during the October cohort will begin their year of service in March.
Please note, If you are accepted to the program, there may be a quick turnaround time between your acceptance and the beginning of the program. Start dates are not flexible, and assuming your visa is approved, you must begin your project with the cohort to which you are accepted.

Selection Process and Timeline
March 2, 2015: Application opens (http://us.americasolidaria.org/hazte-voluntario/)
April 6 (NEW), 2015: Priority deadline for applications (closes at 12:00pm EST)
April 6 – 17, 2015: Application review process
April 17, 2015: Semi-finalists are selected. All candidates will be notified of their application status by email
April 20 – May 22, 2015: Interviews with semi-finalist
May 15, 2015: Deadline for Letters of recommendation (close at 11:59pm EST)
Week of May 26, 2015: Applicants are notified of final decisions
August 10-21, 2015: Out-of-country orientation (in Chile)
August 24-28, 2015: Travel to your host country
End of August 2015: Fellows first day at Host Organization

Please direct any questions regarding the application process or America Solidaria to apply@americasolidaria.org